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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449226">the stars choose their lovers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea'>caitlesshea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Graphic Description, Kidnapping, M/M, Murder, joe burning down the world to save nicky</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:48:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nicky gets kidnapped. Joe gets revenge.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>488</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the stars choose their lovers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I really just wanted Joe to burn down the world to save Nicky. This happened. </p>
<p>Trigger warnings for descriptions of violence, kidnapping, and murder.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>Joe looks out at the water, silently seething, while swearing he can feel his heart break. The waves normally bring solace but now all he can think about is the fact that Nicky <em>isn’t</em> here with him. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Joe hears heavy footsteps behind him but doesn’t turn around. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I never really understood what you meant when you said I didn’t know the weight of these years alone.” Joe says quietly out into the night as Booker comes up beside him. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I never wanted you to know. Not like this.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Joe looks at Booker then, takes in his ragged appearance, and sighs. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Has Nile found anything yet?” </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Booker shakes his head ‘no’ and Joe swallows roughly. Even though he knows his throat has long since healed since he woke up screaming Nicky’s name as smoke and gas descended upon them a week ago, he still feels the raw ache. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Or maybe he feels Nicky being forcibly dragged out of his arms before succumbing to the darkness from a blow to the head. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Either way, his limbs all feel heavy and his heart feels like it’s been split in two. They haven’t been purposefully apart for more than a couple of days in over nine hundred years. </p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Joe, this - ”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“This isn’t your fault.” Joe forces the words out like he’s speaking through knives in his throat. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I led her to you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“This is on Quynh, not you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> “She wanted Andy.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Did you tell her where we were?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Then you didn’t do this.” Joe looks out at the water again, praying to a God that he’s long stopped believing in that Nicky is okay and that they can find him before this goes on any longer.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m going to kill her.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You can’t.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Watch me.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Joe turns to go back inside but Booker grabs his arm to stop him. The sting of his betrayal has lessened as the years have gone on but it doesn’t mean he wants to rehash anything right now. Calling Booker when they realized what had happened to Nicky was hard enough. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You should prepare Andy, I won’t be letting them have the reunion she thinks Quynh is interested in.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Joe leaves Booker outside as he heads back into the room where this all began. A safe house they’ve owned for centuries, one Quynh knew about. He can’t bring himself to sleep anywhere else, not that he’s been sleeping, but the sentiment remains. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Joe rubs his hands over some of Nicky’s things as he stands in front of their dresser. A cross necklace Nicky wore during the Crusades, one of their wedding bands, a pocket knife, and finally, Nicky’s sword. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The ache in his chest grows as he thinks of all the years they have spent together, forgetting more than they remembered, but still together. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He doesn’t know how much longer he can do this, how much longer he can wait until they find Quynh’s location. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Before he has a chance to get even more choked up, crying tears he doesn’t even think he could cry anymore, Nile shouts from the living room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I found them!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Joe breathes a sigh of relief as he grabs Nicky’s sword. He passes Booker on his way to the living room and Booker takes one look at the sword and nods. Joe doesn’t need his approval, but he’s glad he has it. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Tell me where they are.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <strong>~~~ </strong>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>In the end, Joe breaches the door that Nicky is locked behind alone. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Booker, Andy, Nile, and Copley wait outside, because this is something Joe needs to do by himself.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Nicky and Joe came into immortality together, it’s only right Joe does this with only Nicky by his side. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Quynh had taken Nicky to Italy, because she thinks she’s funny. Booker thinks it’s some sick twisted sense of humor but Joe knows. It’s a direct call to try and lure them out.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He doesn’t care. The door breaks apart and he doesn’t even flinch. Joe’s eyes find Nicky’s tired, beautiful, blue eyes, and the small nod he gets in return is all he needs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Before Quynh even has a chance to react he’s bringing Nicky’s sword down across her neck, smirking in satisfaction as her head separates from her body and rolls away. He doesn’t spare her a second glance as he runs towards Nicky.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“<em>Nicolò. Amore</em>.” Joe whispers like a prayer as he cuts the ties that bind Nicky’s hands loose. Joe can vaguely hear the rest of the team rushing in and handling what’s left of Quynh’s body, but he’s no longer concerned with anyone else.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Habibi.” Nicky leans down to kiss him and Joe’s soul sings, as he feels alive for the first time in a week. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m so sorry. So sorry.” Joe repeats over and over again and Nicky shushes him. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It’s okay.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It’s not.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yusuf.” Nicky says quietly and Joe hugs him, holds him so tightly he’s afraid he’s hurting him, until he feels Nicky’s arms wrap around him just as tightly. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Joe. Nicky.” Booker says as he gently touches Joe’s shoulder. “We have to get out of here.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Joe looks at Nicky as he helps him out of the chair he’s in. Joe rubs his hands up and down Nicky’s arms as Nicky sways closer to him. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Together?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Together.” </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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